Mouthwash dispensing apparatus

ABSTRACT

In a mouthwash apparatus or the like utilizing pressurized tap water and a manually controlled jet nozzle, a combined dispenser for disinfectant tablets or similar charge in which the tablets are dispensed one-by-one through a mixing chamber from the gravity feed of a tubular magazine element and by manipulation of a plunger having one position where the plunger is locked against reciprocation with respect to a mixing chamber intersected by the plunger, and in another position where the plunger can be reciprocated to receive a disinfectant tablet which is subsequently deposited into the mixing chamber.

United States Patent I 3,602,398

[72] Inventor Gm Polhk 2,530,583 I 1/1950 Nurkiewicz ZZZ/402.11 X 4060 Cote St. Catherine Road, Montr al, 3,286,742 11/1966 Doll 222/529 X Quebec, Canada 3,389,834 6/1968 Collins 222/133 [211 App]. No. 804,178 3,428,224 2/1969 Eberhardt et a1. 222/529 X [221 Filed Mar. 4, 1969 3,430,823 3/1969 Hunsaker 222/416 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 3,482,740 12/1969 Evans et a1 239/310 X Primary ExaminerSamuel F. Coleman 54] OUT-"WASH DISPENSING APPARATUS Assistant ExaminerNorman L. Stack, Jr.

4 Cums 3 Dnwing Figs. ArlorneyAlan Swabey [52] U.S. Cl 222/133, 222/529 [51 Int. Cl 367d 5/56 [50] Field of Search ..222/402.l1, ABSTRACT: In a mouthwash apparatus or the like utilizing 529, 416i pressurized tap water and a manually controlled jet nozzle, a 221/268; 239/310 9; 91/268; 137/268; 15/104015 combined dispenser for disinfectant tablets or similar charge A; 23/267 267 267 E; I l in which the tablets are dispensed one-by-one through a mix- Y ing chamber from the gravity feed of a tubular magazine ele- [56] References Cited ment and by manipulation of a plunger having one position UNITED STATES PATENTS where the plunger is locked against reciprocation with respect 2,338,615 1/1944 'Armstrongetal. 23/267.4 to a mixing chamber intersected by the plunger, and in 3,386,439 6/1968 Harper 1 137/268X another position .where the plunger can be reciprocated to 3,403,729 10/1968 Hickey .15/ 104.06 X receive a disinfectant tablet which is subsequently deposited 1,928,295 9/1933 Lusher 222/402.11 X into the mixing chamber.

I 23' 1' 4 3 275/ I 32, 2 l- I 29 nll- 'QI. i '1 1 f B W 3/ 7 I I B T I z I9 37 I I Z/ I A MOUTHWASH DISPENSING APPARATUS This invention relates generally to disinfecting apparatus, and more particularly to an improved dispenser and mixing chamber incorporated, for example, in a mouthwash apparatus.

The desirability of mouthwash dispensing apparatus is discussed in detail in U.S. Letters Pat. to Geza Pollak, No. 2,743,847 issued May 1, 1956.

The present invention is particularly directed to an improved combined mixing chamber and disinfectant dispensing apparatus having an inlet portion and outlet portion respectively connected to a source of pressurized water and a manually operated dispensing nozzle to be inserted in ones mouth, for example, and in which the outlet passage includes a mixing chamber portion intersected by a feed chamber communicating with a magazine containing a plurality of gravityfed disinfectant tablets or the like, and in which a manually operated plunger is reciprocable axially from a position to receive a tablet and to a second position for depositing the tablet in intersecting relationship with respect to the passage of water through the apparatus whereby the tablet or thelike deposited into the mixing chamber is dissolved and goes into solution with water passing therethrough.

These, together with other and more specific objects and advantages of the invention, will become apparent from a consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the drawing forming a part thereof, and in which:

IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the apparatus with the primary components shown in section and broken away for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end of a tabletfeed plunger in relation to a tablet about to be deposited in the bifurcated end thereof; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the overall general appearance of the apparatus and the manner in which it is used.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and more particularly to P16. 1, the primary body member is indicated generally at A and the various passages, bores, etc. are formed in any suitable manner therein. Preferably, the plastic body member A can be produced from a molded and/or laminated block elements suitably mated, etc. The body member A includes an inlet passage 17 communicating with a transverse passage 18 connected to an enlarged-diameter mixing chamber 19. Suitably connected to the inlet passage 17 is a water-inlet connection which communicates with a source'of tap water, temperature controlled, etc. Connected to the outlet or mixing chamber 19 is a suitable connection 21 connected to a flexible tube or conduit 58 terminating in a manually controlled jet nozzle N.

It will be observed, that tablets T are deposited in the mixing chamber 19, and as water passes through passages 17, 18, and 19 to the conduit 58 and out of the nozzle N, the tablets will be dissolved and go into solution for introduction as a disinfectant, mouth freshener, etc. in a users mouth, for example, as is illustrated in FIG. 3.

The mixing chamber 19 intermediately communicates with a reduced diameter, cylindrical portion 23' of a cylindrical feed chamber 23 which includes an intermediate annular groove 25. Disposed between the feed chamber 19 and groove 25 and communicating vertically from the cylindrical feed chamber 23 is magazine means comprising a tubular magazine element 41 having an elongated chamber 39 in which is disposed a plurality of tablets T. The magazine element 41 can be a removable and disposable element which is removably received in a complementary bore 42', communicating with the upper portion of the cylindrical feed chamber 23 as is clearly shown in FIG. 1.

Reciprocably supported in the feed chamber 23 is a plunger B which includes a terminal, reduce-diameter, longitudinally slotted, tablet-receiving portion 27, and at the other end of the plunger there is an enlarged handle 29. The feed plunger B; see FIG. 2, has the slotted portion 27 produced by a bifurcations 51 providing an open slot atthe end of the plunger in which a tablet T is deposited.

The chamber 23 has at one side thereof i.e. in horizontally disposed relationship, for example, a longitudinally extending slot 45 which communicates with the annular groove 25, and the plunger B has extending transversely through an intermediate portion thereof a stop or abutment pin 31. Additionally, the plunger B includes an intermediate annular groove 33 and intersecting this groove, in the lower surface of the plunger, is an elongated slot 37 which continues as a rearwardly extending portion 31.

Received in the block or body element A in a threaded 1 aperture is a stop screw 55, the terminal end thereof extending into slot 37 and being alignable with the annular groove 33. Further, to prevent moisture or liquid from leaking into the right-hand portion of the bore 23 i.e. rearwardly of the reduce-diameter portion 27 of the plunger, and/or moisture from leaking into the magazine 41, a suitable O-ring seal 53 is circumposed about the increased diameter portion of the plunger.

' OPERATION With the parts in the solid line positions shown in FIG. 1, for example, the tablets T will be blocked off and cannot descend into the bifurcated or slotted end portion 27 of the plunger. The slotted portion 27 of the plunger will be in alignment with the mixing chamber 19, and as illustrated, a tablet disposed therein will descend'into this chamber by virtue of water pressure passing through passages 17-19 and out of the apparatus. When the parts are in this position, the pin 31 will be in the position shown. On the other hand, if the plunger is rotated wherein the pin is no longer in alignment with slot 45, this rotation, although permitted by the annular groove 25, will prevent reciprocation of the plunger. It will be noted that since annular groove 33 on the plunger, at this time, is in alignment with the stop pin 45, this just-mentioned rotation will be permitted.

When it is desired to dispense the lowermost tablet T from the magazine 41, the plunger B is grasped by the handle 29 and displaced to-the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1. This reciprocation is permitted by the slot 45 in which the pin 31 is received, and the terminal end of the guide pin 55 will engage in the longitudinal slot 37 of the plunger. The O-ring 53 will move to the dotted line position shown i.e. to the right of the lowermost end of the tablet magazine. The abutment pin 55, as well as the pin 31, maintain the bifurcated or slotted end 27 of the plunger-B in alignment with the lower end of the tablet magazine 41 so that the lowermost tablet T will be received in this slot. After this occurs, when the plunger B is moved back to the solid line position shown in FIG. 1 and when intersecting the mixing chamber 19, the tablet moves into the mixing chamber.

During this procedure, water pressure can be off at 15 or, if desired, it can be later turned on manually at the usual tap control.

The body or block element A can be suitably mounted on a wall, for example, or as shown in FIG. 3, for example, and can be provided within a cover having a recess for receiving the device. The cover, for example, could comprise an attractive picture. Generally speaking, the size of the block A is approximately 3 to 5 inches and about 1% inches thick. The tablets T will have a diameter of about nine-sixteenths of an inch and be approximately one-fourth of an inch thick. Of course, the various dimensions are merely illustrative.

1 claim:

1. Apparatus for administering a personal hygiene solution comprising, in combination:

a body member including an inlet for communicating with a source ofliquid under pressure such as the household water outlet tap,

said body member including an outlet; a manually controllable dispensing nozzle means operatively connected to said outlet for distributing a solution for personal hygiene uses, said outlet including a mixing chamber upstream thereof 5 for receiving and retaining a tablet to be mixed with the liquid to form a hygiene solution to be manually dispensed,

said body member including an elongated tablet feed chamber communicating at one end with said mixing chamber;

supply magazine means for containing a material to be dispensed into said mixing chamber, said supply magazine means intersecting said feed chamber upstream of said mixing chamber; and

feed plunger means reciprocably supported in said feed chamber between the lower portion of said supply magazine means and said mixing chamber, said feed plunger means including a manually engageable handle portion exteriorly of said body member for manually charging said mixing chamber, said feed plunger means including a terminal charge-receiving portion opposite said handle for selective positioning beneath said supply magazine means and into intersecting relation with said mixing chamber for depositing a tablet into the mixing chamber,

said supply magazine means comprising a separate tubular sleeve unit containing a plurality of serially arranged tablets distributable one-by-one. said body member including a bore removable receiving the lower opened end of said sleeve unit for making accessible to the plunger terminal charge-receiving portion a single, lowermost tablet.

2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said sleeve element is generally rectangular and orients the tablets to an attitude for permitting ready receipt by the charge-receiving portion of said plunger.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said feedplunger means, charge-receiving portion comprises a bifurcated end portion on saic plunger,

said body member, feed-plunger means and feed-chamber including cooperating orienting portions for maintaining the bifurcated end portion of said feed-plunger means in aligned relationship with said supply magazine means and said mixing chamber.

4. The structure as claimed in claim 3 in which said feed plunger means and said body member include cooperating pin-and-slot portions for alternatively permitting or preventing reciprocation of said plunger means. 

1. Apparatus for administering a personal hygiene solution comprising, in combination: a body member including an inlet for communicating with a source of liquid under pressure such as the household water outlet tap, said body member including an outlet; a manually controllable dispensing nozzle means operatively connected to said outlet for distributing a solution for personal hygiene uses, said outlet including a mixing chamber upstream thereof for receiving and retaining a tablet to be mixed with the liquid to form a hygiene solution to be manually dispensed, said body member including an elongated tablet feed chamber communicating at one end with said mixing chamber; supply magazine means for containing a material to be dispensed into said mixing chamber, said supply magazine means intersecting said feed chamber upstream of said mixing chamber; and feed plunger means reciprocably supported in said feed chamber between the lower portion of said supply magazine means and said mixing chamber, said feed plunger means including a manually engageable handle portion exteriorly of said body member for manually charging said mixing chamber, said feed plunger means including a terminal charge-receiving portion opposite said handle for selective positioning beneath said supply magazine means and into intersecting relation with said mixing chamber for depositing a tablet into the mixing chamber, said supply magazine means comprising a separate tubular sleeve unit containing a plurality of serially arranged tablets distributable one-by-one. said body member including a bore removable receiving the lower opened end of said sleeve unit for making accessible to the plunger terminal charge-receiving portion a single, lowermost tablet.
 2. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said sleeve element is generally rectangular and orients the tablets to an attitude for permitting ready receipt by the charge-receiving portion of said plunger.
 3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said feed-plunger means, charge-receiving portion comprises a bifurcated end portion on said plunger, said body member, feed-plunger means and feed-chamber including cooperating orienting portions for maintaining the bifurcated end portion of said feed-plunger means in aligned relationship with said supply magazine means and said mixing chamber.
 4. The structure as claimed in claim 3 in which said feed plunger means and said body member include cooperating pin-and-slot portions for alternatively permitting or preventing reciprocation of said plunger means. 